Nowadays, the consumer preferences have been oriented towards more healthy eating habits. Milk-based products, such as cheese may be a high-fat source, but also an excellent source of calcium and protein. The practice to reduce fat content in cheeses has often been correlated with reduced taste, flavor and texture in the resulting fat-reduced products.
Examples of vegetable-fat based cheese alternative products may be found in the literature, the majority concerning processed cheese manufacturing methods. Fewer attempts have been made to produce cheese products designed to resemble natural/traditional cheeses. To achieve the desirable stability of vegetable oil incorporation in the dairy product, most approaches adopted, include the use of efficient emulsifying agents and adequate amounts thereof.
EP 0 368 492 teaches a method for preparing a cheese product having a low level of saturated fat and cholesterol. The invention makes use of a vegetable fat-based cream added to skim, semi-skimmed or low fat milk, adding to a cheese vat and processing using conventional techniques to form cheese. The said vegetable fat-based cream is prepared by adding a blend of vegetable pasteurized oils, such as soya oil and hydrogenated soya oil and an emulsifier to an aqueous phase comprising a pasteurized blend of water and a stabilizer, such as gelatin. In one embodiment of the invention the vegetable fat comprises a blend of vegetable fats, which has a similar melting point profile to milk fat over the range of 5° C. to 38° C.
Another example of a low cholesterol dairy product may be produced, according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,074. Its disclosure relates to the combination of skim milk with a pre-mix comprising a vegetable oil carrier as well as agents, which impart texture and flavoring properties to the milk product. The resultant fluid milk can be pasteurized and stored at refrigerated temperatures for at least six weeks, until it is used to produce a number of dairy products, including hard cheese. In representative formulations, which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,074, the premix is comprised of vegetable oil, emulsifiers, gums and flavoring agents.
Cheese alternatives having incorporated natural vegetable oils are susceptible to oil exudation phenomena and they are often unacceptable in texture due to reduced firmness. The presence of vegetable oil in partial substitution of dairy fat may affect the process called “syneresis”, the process referring to curd and whey separation. Sometimes, the vegetable oil may prevent the necessary expulsion of whey.
The present invention has the object to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, the invention aims to provide a cheap, easy to use process for the production of a milk-based alternative product, such as a cheese alternative product, an ice cream alternative product, a custard alternative product or a chilled or frozen dessert alternative product. The process shall be as close to the natural/traditional process for the production of the particular milk-based product, i.e. cheese, ice cream, custard, chilled or frozen desert, as possible. In particular, it is not desired to de-fat the basic milk but rather to substitute at least part of the milk fat by an edible oil.